Reunited
by aurorstorm
Summary: After establishing a tentative correspondence with the long-estranged Andromeda, Narcissa decides it is time to go looking for her Bella. -Set five years after the War, however, Bellatrix survives and has been in hiding ever since the final battle-
1. Reaching Out

**CHAPTER ONE: Reaching Out**

Narcissa had been absentmindedly drumming on the windowsill for a good half an hour now. Over the last three days, she'd used up a number of excuses to spend time in the sitting room, sneaking lingering glances out the window, but now she'd dropped all pretences and spent her time simply waiting. Ever since she'd written that damn letter she'd been completely unable to relax. Even sleep was evading her.

A distant screech of a bird made its way into the room, causing the blonde witch to start forwards hopefully, only to sit back down again. Lucius raised an eyebrow but didn't look up from his book. That was all he did these days, read the same dusty old volumes, over and over, in the sitting room. To tell the truth, their marriage was barely a marriage anymore. It was more of a convenient living arrangement. They ate together twice a day and the polite conversation that ensued was usually their only form of interaction for the day. It was a shame; they used to be almost inseparable. She missed him. It had become clear to her, lately, that war changes everything. Narcissa sighed and continued watching out the window, waiting for the letter that she was beginning to suspect would never arrive.

"Merlin's beard, would you give it a REST!" Lucius snapped.

"Excuse me?" Narcissa was shocked. "I didn't realise my presence caused you so much discomfort, Lucius!"

"Oh, I don't give a damn if you sit there wasting your time for the rest of your life." he sneered. "However, if you fail give that pathetic tapping on the sill a rest; I'm afraid I _do_ have an objection!"

She hadn't even noticed. "I'm sorry, Lucius. I didn't mean to disturb you."

He grunted and went back to his reading.

* * *

><p>That night, Narcissa lay alone in her bed. She hadn't shared a room with Lucius since before the War, not properly, and never for more than a few minutes whenever the two of them desperately craved some human contact. She had her eyes closed, but did not sleep – simply lay there, passing the time. All of a sudden, she sat bolt upright. Either the lack of sleep was making her delusional, or there had been a sharp tapping on her window. Narcissa leapt out of bed and flew to the window, drawing back the curtains. Sure enough, the snowy white owl was ruffling its feathers impatiently as if it was the usual to deliver at this time.<p>

With shaking hands, she untied the parchment from the bird's claws, and it took off into the night. Scolding herself for being so ridiculous, and deciding that she was only trembling from the chill of the night air, she closed the window quietly. After snuggling under the covers, she took in a deep breath and unrolled the parchment.

_Narcissa – _

_I will waste no time expressing my complete shock in hearing from you after all these years. I accepted years ago that I would never hear from either of my sisters again – I knew I had committed the ultimate crime against our family and would never be forgiven._

_Your advance is, surprisingly, not an unwelcome one, although you may have feared so due to my delayed response. It was painful to be reminded of certain memories that I cannot help but associate with your family and its connections with the movement that cruelly took my husband, daughter and son in law from me. _

_However, after some thought, I believe you are not to blame. Given our upbringing, I am not surprised that the majority of our family tree ended up on the wrong side of the War, and you had to stick with your family. I always admired that quality in you, your sense of pride and duty to your family, no matter what happened. Of course, when I was young, I simultaneously detested that quality too. I hated our family; our parents, their outdated beliefs, and their treatment of muggles and 'mudbloods'. So much that I ran away with one and never looked back. _

_We may have lived our lives apart, and we may have once been on opposing sides of a merciless War, Narcissa, but we are sisters, first and foremost. Our relationship was so strong when we were young, and it is a shame that it ended so abruptly. It deserves to be rebuilt. _

_I must enquire after your son, Draco... and Lucius. I do hope they are well. _

_Yours,_

_Andromeda_

Smiling, and with tears in her eyes, Narcissa rolled up the parchment and placed it under her pillow. For the first time in days, she slept.

* * *

><p>Andromeda was so, so tired. She had aged beyond her years, but she still had her beauty. Not that there was any need for it now. Being a widow, grandmother and guardian at the same time took precedence over caring for her appearance. Young Teddy Lupin simply had far too much energy for Andromeda to cope with all day... so much like his mother, although when she was a child Andy was far more capable of keeping up. When Harry stopped by at lunchtime to pick up his godson – for a sleepover no less! – she could have wept with relief. Harry really was such a help to her. He was always checking in to make sure she was okay and she wasn't too lonely.<p>

As she settled down in a comfy chair by the fire, she let out a breath she felt she had been holding in for days. Just as she started to truly relax, there came a screeching from the back garden, following by a tap on the window. Andromeda sighed and pulled herself out of the chair. Removing the letter from the owl's grip, she was surprised to see her sister's handwriting again so soon. Narcissa must have been eagerly awaiting her letter to have replied that quickly.

She took her place by the fire again and poured over her younger sister's words. It seems Narcissa had been waiting a long time for someone to talk to, because the letter was many pages long and told in great detail the stories of Draco's success at the ministry, Lucius's troubles, the depressing state of their marriage, and her loneliness and boredom at the Malfoy Manor. It was as if she was having a deep-and-meaningful session with a close friend over a cup of tea, rather than writing the second letter of a tentative correspondence with a sister she hadn't seen since their school days forty years ago. Andromeda was glad. Her sister's open, friendly manner made this out-of-the-blue correspondence easier for the both of them.

The brunette witch laid the parchment down on the fireplace, closed her eyes, and lay back in her chair. She really had to make the most of these blessed hours of peace. Narcissa could wait a little longer for her next letter.

* * *

><p>It was dark, and it was silent. The moon shone brightly over the still forest. All had been calm for hours, and then abruptly, three events took place in quick succession. There was a small rustling in a leafy bush, followed by the slightest of movements from a dark figure by the hollow of an old tree, and a startling flash of bright green light.<p>

Bellatrix crept slowly out of her hiding place, wand at the ready. She was breathing rapidly and repeatedly glancing around in every direction. Reaching the bush, she lunged into it and tore the plant apart. Lying at the base was a small, white rabbit. Bellatrix chuckled darkly. She grabbed the lifeless creature and skipped back to her hollow.

"Dinner," she breathed, her eyes glazed over and glowing in the moonlight. Licking her lips and cackling softly to herself, she sliced open the animal and without even cooking it first, began her meal.

She was hungry - she was _starving -_ and she had completely lost her mind.

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><p><strong>This is my first attempt at a multi-chapter story, so reviews are very much appreciated! I have another chapter written but it won't be going up unless I know people want to read on. Thank you!<strong>


	2. Decisions Made

**CHAPTER 2: Decisions Made**

_I want you to know how difficult this is for me to write, and I apologise in advance because I know I might become quite incoherent. _Andromeda paused, quill raised. She wasn't quite sure how to go on, where to begin. _Nymphadora... well, Dora to her father, and Tonks to her friends. She always said she hated her name. That always hurt a little, but I know she didn't mean to upset me. People hate names... but I'm getting off track already._

Andromeda sighed and put down the quill. See, Narcissa had, in recent letters, given her a great deal of information about her own son, Draco. She felt as if she knew her nephew, although the two had never met. Narcissa had gently suggested in her latest essay-length letter that Andy tell her about her daughter. She felt it was a shame and proof of her failure as an aunt that she had never met the girl and that she had been a member of the force, and the family, that had killed her.

Of course, Andy wanted to tell her everything about her beautiful daughter. She wanted to tell the whole world, but she would never be able to, because the pain and grief consumed her whenever she tried. Narcissa deserved to know her, though, so Andy would have to bear it this time.

Taking a deep breath, and blinking back tears, she picked up her quill. She supposed it would be easiest to start from the beginning.

* * *

><p>An hour later and weeping openly now, Andromeda rolled up the parchment and tucked it away in her robes, to send away later when the owl returned.<p>

"I need a cup of tea," she muttered to herself. Wiping her eyes on her sleeve, she reached up to the top shelf to grab herself a teacup.

"GRANNY!" came a joyous shriek from the next room. "Granny, granny! Look what I've FOUND!"

"Darling... can you give me a minute?" Andromeda called, eyes squeezed shut and hand still raised in the air by the shelf.

"No, no, no! Come now, you have to SEE!" demanded the little boy.

She couldn't help but smile. He was just as stubborn as her little girl used to be, and always was. Checking her eyes in the mirror on the way out, Andromeda made her way towards the room her grandson occupied.

It was times like this she wished she had someone around to talk to.

* * *

><p>Narcissa sat in the kitchen, calmly sipping a cup of tea and reading the Daily Prophet. She knew a good deal of it was utter trash, and there never was much going on in the wizarding world these days. There was, however, the occasional news of the capture of elusive Death Eaters who escaped at the final Battle. Narcissa couldn't help but check, every day, just in case she saw her older sister's name plastered across the headlines...<p>

She shook her head, trying to clear her thoughts. It was ridiculous to believe that a witch as skilled as Bellatrix could be captured by the buffoons working for the Ministry. Besides, even if she _was_ caught, Narcissa doubted that there was anything left of her sister's mind for the dementors to feed on if the Ministry locked her away. She had been in hiding ever since the end of the War, and without her Lord to follow, she no longer would have anything keeping her together. Bellatrix had become unhinged even before her first trip to Azkaban, and she would only be worse now.

She could be dead, for all Narcissa knew.

Slamming the paper shut and tossing it aside, Narcissa carried her cup of tea upstairs and into her bedroom. Resting the cup on the floor, she removed a small, rusty key from an inside pocket in her robes. She forced the key into a lock on the lowest drawer and shuffled it open. The drawer was stiff from lack of use over many years. Narcissa sifted through the musty content until she found what she was looking for – a leather-bound album with her name inscribed in gold lettering on the front. It had been a gift for her fourteenth birthday, and she had taken great care in filling it with photographs and other memorabilia from her early years. When her parents destroyed many family memories containing her disowned sister's image, Narcissa had kept this album close to her side, day and night.

The glue in the spine crackled as she opened the album. Narcissa was surprised at the good condition of the photographs. Three pretty young smiles greeted her on the first page. The youngest girl, petite and blonde, had such a sparkle in her bright eyes, which would have been a piercing blue if the image was coloured. In the centre of the photograph stood Andromeda, her brunette curls falling softly to her shoulders, smiling shyly at the photographer. The eldest of the young witches, and the most striking, was Bellatrix. Her dark curls tumbled down to her navel, and her eyes - dark and deep, framed by thick lashes, were mesmerising even in print. The wind gently blew through their hair, and all three girls giggled, looking utterly carefree and innocent. Underneath the photograph, the young Narcissa had neatly printed "_Andy, Bella and I." _

Narcissa smiled, and gently stroked her eldest sister's face in the image. Bellatrix had always been her favourite, and although she had known it was wrong to have favourites in your family, she couldn't have helped it if she tried. The young girl had worshipped the ground Bella walked on, or in her opinion, floated over. She sought nothing but her approval, and to her joy, Bella was impressed by her baby sister and took her under her wing. She was the one who gave her the nickname she so loved to hear. Cissy.

_Oh, Bella._

Narcissa closed the album. It was no use dwelling on the past. The Bella captured in that album and the witch, Bellatrix, on the run from the Ministry were no longer the same person. It was simply naive of her; really, to think that if only she could find her again, that maybe... maybe she could bring her Bella back...

Her heart raced. Now that the Dark Lord was gone, her sister's fragile mind could be hers to shape. Maybe there _was_ something left, something crushed by the years of indoctrination by the Dark side, but something that could be nurtured and restored...

Now that she had thought it once, there was no going back. She had rebuilt a relationship of some sorts with Andromeda again; it was only right that she should try to rescue her older sister, too. That's what she convinced herself, anyway. For a moment, a glimmer of hope passed through her – the three Black sisters, reunited! It faded quickly, once she remembered exactly who it was who had murdered Nymphadora Tonks...

This would have to be a secret from Andromeda. Narcissa felt uncomfortable, like she was betraying the sister she only just recovered, but she pushed that thought aside quickly. It would be worth it to get her Bella back.

* * *

><p><strong>Things will get a little more exciting next chapter - much more Bellatrix! Hope you enjoy, and please review.<strong>


	3. The Forest

**CHAPTER 3: The Forest **

"Look, I've already told you," sighed Narcissa, exasperated. "Mrs Parkinson told me there are matters she must discuss with me, and she's invited me to stay at her house for a few days. I don't know any more about it than you do."

Narcissa thought she saw a glimmer of suspicion in Lucius's eyes, but he seemed to buy the story well enough. It wasn't as if he would miss her while she was gone. She couldn't help but feel slightly guilty, but it was odd – she didn't feel bad for lying to her husband, the problem was that it was so _easy_ to lie to him. Were they not supposed to trust each other?

If one thing was certain, it was that Narcissa would have a good deal of explaining to do if she was successful on her mission.

The blonde witch slung her overnight bag across her shoulder and began to leave the room, but was distracted by a rapping at the window. An owl waited outside the window with the day's copy of the Prophet held in its claws. Thinking she might be out of touch with current events for the next however-many days, she took the paper from the owl and unfolded it as she walked out of the Manor.

A small article at the corner of the front page instantly caught her eye, and she stopped in her tracks. The title read, 'POSSIBLE SIGHTING OF CONVICTED DEATH EATER BELLATRIX LESTRANGE'. Narcissa's heart rate quickened and her palms became sweaty. The article went on to tell of a dark figure bearing some resemblance to Bellatrix being spotted in a pub in a small Muggle town, who disappeared before Aurors could investigate. Narcissa calmed down straight away. She knew her sister better than anyone, and the _last_ place Bellatrix would go, even if she had to hide for the rest of her life, would be a Muggle dwelling of any matter how much her life was in danger, the eldest of the Black daughters could never stoop so low. She could only stay in a place that was magical, and knowing Bellatrix, it would be somewhere that she knew well from visits in the past, somewhere that meant something to her but was insignificant to the rest of the world – some place that only she would remember; well, her and her sisters, of course...

Narcissa smiled. Perfect. If she had any hope of finding Bellatrix, there was only one place she could start. Why it took so long to occur to her, she didn't know – maybe it was years of pushing thoughts of her sisters to the back of her mind that had caused her to forget about the forest.

With a sharp crack, she Disapparated.

* * *

><p>A high pitched whistling sound pierced Bellatrix's ears and she glanced around wildly before she realised the noise was coming from herself. Digging through her pockets, she drew out her wand and found that it was the source of the disturbance. Bellatrix felt sick. This meant only one thing – her protective charm had been breached, and another human had entered the forest.<p>

"_Impossible," _she breathed. This place was completely off the map. Not even the Ministry knew of its existence! Hundreds of years ago, a powerful wizard had protected it with every charm possible to preserve the magical life the precious forest was teeming with. He then placed a Fidelius charm on the forest, and passed the secret exclusively onto members of families with the purest of blood. Over the years, any remaining Secret Keepers had died out, the secret of the forest perishing along with them – except for the members of the Black family. The forest had become their exclusive sanctuary.

Bellatrix gathered her few belongings and began to run, faster than she'd ever run before. It never occurred to her that she could simply Apparate out of the forest – her instincts told her to run, and Bellatrix relied solely on her instincts these days. She tore through the forest at a remarkable speed, every now and then throwing spells behind her to clear her path, some of them glancing trees along the way.

Eventually, the trees began to clear and she found herself approaching a seemingly endless, silvery lake that stretched far beyond the horizon. Out of breath, she made her way to the rocky shore and clambered across the rocks until she found what she was looking for. Bellatrix slipped carefully down between two rocks, and tucked herself into a tiny hollowed-out shelter. She allowed herself a small, tight-lipped smile as she remembered hiding away here from her parents on summer evenings, never wanting to leave the forest. Always so stubborn and determined, she would remain in her little hidey-hole until the sky darkened and her stomach began to growl menacingly, forcing her to join her family and return home. How ironic that she was now living her childhood dream, hiding from the world in her magical forest – except now, she wasn't alone.

Bellatrix shivered and wrapped her cloak tightly around herself.

* * *

><p>Narcissa took a moment to close her eyes and inhale deeply. It had been years since she had visited the forest. She had never passed the secret onto Draco or Lucius, and her last visit had been the day before her wedding, the day before she became a Malfoy instead of a Black.<p>

She took her time to wander around the forest, appreciating the ancient trees and the curious, rare creatures coexisting with various Muggle animals. Every now and then, she would come across a creature slain – not by the work of animals, but by the Killing Curse. She couldn't help but smile to herself. Only one person would be responsible for the slaughter of those creatures. She had come to the right place.

After an hour of wandering, she found herself by a huge tree with a hollow at the base large enough for a person to sleep in. Narcissa wondered if this was where her sister had been sleeping. Crouching down to look inside, she noticed some tiny bones in the dirt on the ground. Not all creatures had been lucky enough to rot into the ground in their beloved forest, it seemed.

Narcissa stood upright again and carefully observed her surroundings. A hundred metres ahead, there was an odd scorch mark on the trunk of a tree. She headed towards it, and on closer inspection she could be sure that it was the mark of a spell.

"She's really let herself go," Narcissa whispered to herself. Bellatrix would never have been so careless in the past. The blonde with continued on in the same direction, occasionally noticing more marks of her sister's neglect among the forest's flora. After what seemed like hours of walking, the forest thinned and opened up to the stunningly impressive lake that Narcissa had so loved to behold as a child. It seemed to continue on forever. She had many fond memories of swimming in the clear water whenever it was warm enough, and scrambling across the rocks when it wasn't. Their days at the forest were their only chance to be free of the stifling perfection of being part of the Black family. This was where they got to be children.

Of course, Bellatrix was the one who had _really_ loved the lake. Her two sisters would always have to search for her among the rocks when it was time to go home. She had this little shelter among the rocks that she used to call her second home...

Narcissa's stomach tightened and she became desperately nervous, now that she knew exactly where her sister would be hiding at this moment. Her plan had seemed foolproof, up until now. How did she face the woman who was once her darling sister? She had no plans. There was nothing to do but make her way towards the rocks.

With shaking hands, she crawled across the rocks, repeatedly losing her footing and slipping down the sides. This had been much easier when she was younger. When she found herself approaching the crevice where her sister was currently hid inside, she lost all confidence and slid down behind a large boulder to rest, but her foot struck a loose stone and it tumbled away, every crack of rock against rock echoing loudly in Narcissa's head, and she bit her lip so hard she drew blood... now her sister would know she was no longer alone.

Sure enough, there was a quiet shuffling in the distance, and Narcissa knew Bellatrix was climbing out of her shelter to finally face the disturbance she had been running away from. Then there was silence.

Narcissa knew the other witch was waiting for her to make a move. With a sudden burst of adrenaline, she clutched her wand and slowly crawled out from behind the boulder.

Her wand was wrenched from her grip, silently and immediately. Bellatrix stood there, wand raised, eyes wide, and completely terrified, even though her opponent had been disarmed. Narcissa had never seen her sister like this. Her always brave, always beautiful sister... there was almost nothing left of her in the deranged creature who stood trembling before her. Narcissa went to take another hesitant step forward, arm outstretched, and at the same time Bellatrix pulled her arm back, ready to curse...

* * *

><p>"AVADA KED-"<p>

Bellatrix froze. She looked at the woman before her, now crying, but still reaching out towards her. Gazing into those deep blue eyes, even from such a distance, something surfaced...

"...Cissy?"

* * *

><p><strong>Finally they meet! Hope you like it, reviews are appreciated!<strong>


	4. Cissy and Bella

**CHAPTER 4: Cissy and Bella**

That hoarse whisper was all the confirmation Narcissa needed. If the shell of a woman standing before her recognised her and called her by the nickname that even Andromeda was hesitant to use, it was clear that she was safe.

She made to walk towards her sister, but an unnoticeable flick of Bellatrix's wand conjured an invisible shield between the two, solid as brick. When Narcissa's hand grazed against the surface, she cried out.

"Bella! Oh Bella, darling, it's me, please, let me come to you, Bella!" the witch cried, beginning to get hysterical. "Bella, what have you done to yourself? Let me come! It's me, it's Cissy, oh..." she trailed off, and stood crying quietly, never dropping her desperate gaze from the mad witch's, who was analysing her with animal eyes, as if she was some kind of threat.

x

As she stood watching the hysterical witch before her, Bellatrix slowly came to the conclusion that she wasn't in any immediate danger. Never breaking eye contact with her opponent, she took small steps towards the barrier until they were face to face and she could see every tear rolling down her cheeks.

"Bella, please..." whispered the crying woman, as she raised her hand to rest against the barrier between them. "I mean you no harm," she choked out. "How could I?"

She looked deep into Narcissa's pleading eyes, and for the first time in years, Bellatrix _felt_ something. A sudden rush of emotions tore through her and without thinking, she placed her hand against her sister's. The shield melted away and they found their skin touching, Narcissa's as warm as Bellatrix's was cold. The younger sister went to take hold of Bellatrix's hand, but she flinched and shrunk backwards. Raising her wand once more, she pointed it at Narcissa's chest, but met her gaze with sad and lonely eyes.

"Speak to me," Bellatrix whispered.

So Cissy spoke.

The dark witch stood still as she listened to the words pour out of her sister's mouth. She was barely paying attention at all to the content of her speech, simply revelling in the joy of hearing another human voice – and such a sweet voice it was, she thought, as the memories began to slowly return to her.

"...and Bella, remember that time you got mad at me, and you pushed me by the water and I fell in? It ruined my pretty dress, although I don't know why I was so dressed up to come here, but I got you in so much trouble and you hated me for it, and these days I'm not even sure if you ever meant it, I've had so much time to think back on those days lately, with you gone... I've kept your room at the Manor, you know... Bella? Are you listening to me?"

Narcissa looked panicked as she glanced down at Bellatrix's wand, still pointing directly at her chest.

"Bella, say something. Please."

Bellatrix slowly lowered her wand and took a small step closer.

"What are you doing here?" she spoke, her voice cracking from lack of use. "You shouldn't have come."

Narcissa looked hurt, and trembled as she spoke. "Of course I had to come. You're... you're my sister, Bella. No matter what has happened, that is something that could never change."

"It means nothing."

"Bella!" cried the blonde witch. "Don't say that! You can't - !"

Her speech was cut off as Bellatrix, without warning, leapt forward and grabbed Narcissa by the front of her robes. Narcissa let out a cry of fear as she was pulled sharply towards her sister. She could taste Bellatrix's foul breath as she stared into her wide, dark eyes; eyes that had lost all of their youthful shine.

"Is this really your sister, Cissy?" she snarled. She jammed two fingers roughly against her own temple and laughed menacingly. "Is she still in here? Can you see her? Can you _taste _her?" she breathed, and then she crashed her rough lips against Narcissa's, who struggled pathetically in her sister's strong arms. Bellatrix bit down until she drew blood, before pulling away and throwing Narcissa backwards onto the rocks.

"You should _not_ have come here."

x

Narcissa lay on the ground, panting, trying to catch her breath. She stared up at the witch before her as she tried to pick herself up from the ground, wincing as she stood. There would be bruises from that fall. She searched the area for her wand, and found it wedged between some rocks. All the while, Bellatrix simply stood and watched.

More confident now that she was armed again, Narcissa turned to face her sister.

"Bella..." she paused, unsure how to go on. "Bella, I don't know what's happened to you over these years. I don't know the extent of the damage to you – but you remember me, you remember _us_, and that's enough for me. You can do what you like to me, but you can't make me leave you. Not now."

"You haven't found what you're looking for, Cissy," Bellatrix warned. There was a dangerous look in her eyes, but she no longer looked ready to attack. "I'm not your Bella."

"Let me help you." Narcissa pleaded. "I need to... I need _you_."

She took small, nervous steps towards Bellatrix, and when the other witch didn't move away, she continued forward and reached out to gently touch her face. Bellatrix closed her eyes and stood completely still, silently cherishing the soft touch of her sister's hand, just as she always did when they were children...

Bellatrix found herself leaning forward into Narcissa's embrace, and the blonde witch clung onto her precious sister, as their hearts pounded in sync, pressed together through layers of robes. She ran her fingers through the long, coarse and matted hair falling down Bellatrix's back. That hair had once been shining and soft, curled into loose ringlets that Narcissa had been allowed to tend to over anyone else. She had cherished those moments of intimacy with Bella, and it made her feel special.

"Would you... would you let me wash your hair?" Narcissa questioned nervously. Bellatrix acted as if she hadn't heard the question at first, before eventually nodding slightly into Narcissa's shoulder.

The two sisters walked carefully over towards the shore, where the rocks dropped off to clear water that was waist-deep. Narcissa cast a spell over the water, causing it to heat up, and foamy bubbles to appear on the surface. Looking around for her bag, she saw that she had dropped it by the boulder, and went to pick it up so she could retrieve the vials of hair potion she had brought with her.

Bellatrix had occupied herself with the task of removing her corset, but her hands shook terribly, making it too much of a struggle. Pale, soft hands closed over hers and she looked up into Narcissa's eyes as the younger witch carefully removed the corset and helped her slip out of her tattered dress. She lowered herself slowly into the warm, sweet-smelling water and closed her eyes, letting her muscles relax. Narcissa quickly undressed and joined her in the water.

* * *

><p>"<em>Cissy! Ouch! That hurt!" scowled Bella. "Be more careful."<em>

"_I'm sorry, Bella, I didn't mean it..."_

_The two young sisters sat close together in the bath, and Cissy was gently washing and detangling the mass of dark curls falling down the back of her older sister. Her eyes were wide with the pleasure of finding herself privileged enough to take on this important task. She poured more of the hair potion into the dark mass and set to work slowly pulling each curl through a comb._

"_It's okay. You're doing better than Mother or Andy does. They're not so gentle as you." She sniffed disapprovingly._

_Cissy smiled to herself, filled with pride. There was nothing more exciting than pleasing Bella, and that wasn't an easy task. Over these Christmas holidays, she had spent a great deal of time with Bella, and was dreading the day they had to take her back to Platform 9 and ¾. Oh, how she would miss her when she left again... playing with Andy just wasn't the same._

"_Bella, how long until you go back to school?" she whispered._

"_A week," Bella replied. _

"_I... I wish I could be going to Hogwarts next year, instead of Andy," She frowned. "You said I'm clever enough!"_

"_Of course you are. You're a good deal cleverer than all the mudbloods in my year."_

_Cissy shifted uncomfortably. "Andy says that's a bad word."_

"_Well, it's a word for bad people, so I don't care." Bella snapped._

_The blonde girl wasn't sure what to say next, so said nothing, fearing that she might anger her sister further. She quietly continued tending to Bella's hair, and when she had finished, they stepped out of the bath and wrapped themselves in soft black towels. Bellatrix paused to admire herself in the mirror, running her long fingers through her hair._

"_You did well, Cissy," she smiled down at her sister._

"_Thank you," the little girl breathed, and she gleefully ran out of the bathroom, hugging herself, leaving Bella to wait for her mother to come and dry her hair._

* * *

><p>Narcissa wrapped her cloak around herself, trying to shield her skin from the chill setting in. Bellatrix's head in her lap was warm, though, and she smiled down at her sister as she carefully dried her hair with her wand. It was a quick process, and before long she was running her fingers through the mass of long, shining curls sprawled over her lap.<p>

"Would you like something to eat?" she asked quietly. Bellatrix nodded.

Narcissa reached into her bag and pulled out some sandwiches she had prepared at home. They didn't have a house elf serving them these days, as she needed something to keep herself occupied during lonely days at the Manor. Handing one to Bellatrix, she began to take small bites, watching as her sister tore at the meal almost savagely, polishing it off in under a minute. Narcissa suddenly wasn't hungry, so she offered the rest of her sandwich to Bellatrix who gave it the same treatment she did the former.

The two witches stood up and made their way towards Bellatrix's hiding place, and slipped down into the crevice. Narcissa knew there was no sense in taking her sister anywhere else that night, so she pulled out blankets and a pillow from her bag and prepared a small bed for the two of them. Bellatrix curled up under the blankets without a word, and fell asleep straight away. Narcissa remained sitting and watched the peaceful, sleeping form of her sister. Now clean and pampered, she looked almost pleasant, and innocent. Tears gathered in her eyes. She tried to push away the guilt gnawing at her conscience, and tried to quiet the small voice in her head telling her that the woman in front of her was not her beloved sister, but a deranged murderer.

Narcissa curled up next to her sister, wrapping her arm around her waist and burying her face in her soft, perfumed hair. If she had made a mistake, she could face it later. For the moment, there was nothing but Cissy and Bella, as close as they always had been.

* * *

><p><strong>Sorry this took so long to update, I've been so busy! I hope you like the chapter, please review. Any feedback at all is very much appreciated.<strong>


	5. Things Change

**CHAPTER FIVE: Things Change**

Narcissa woke up shivering, and alone. She pulled herself up slowly and wrapped herself tightly in the blanket. She began to feel sick as she realised that Bellatrix could have ran away during the night and left her alone in the forest. Still shaking from the cold, she carefully climbed out of the rocks, bringing her bag and pillow with her.

She paused to survey the area. There was no sign of Bellatrix nearby, but Narcissa was sure she could see a dark shape crouched by the edge of the lake, about an hours walk away. She set off in that direction, all the while worrying to herself.

Why was it that Bellatrix had been living like a savage all these years, and had treated Narcissa so cruelly, but then submitted to her and let her fuss over her hair and share a makeshift bed? It seemed as if she was swinging between two different personalities. Could this mean there was some hope for her yet? Narcissa began scratching at her arm absentmindedly. It had become a nervous habit, and one she ought to break.

All she wanted was to get her sister, her Bella, back. They had both been changed so much over these years, and damaged beyond repair, but together they could be stronger and help each other return to the innocence of their youth. That was what Narcissa hoped, anyway, and she knew it was naive.

Lost in her thoughts, the time flew by, and before long she was approaching the dark figure that she could now confirm was Bellatrix. The woman was hunched over, with her head buried in arms that were wrapped tightly around her knees. Narcissa quietly walked towards her, and when she reached her, sat down at her side. Neither witch said a word for a few minutes, until Narcissa thought it had been long enough.

"Bella –"

"Stop."

Narcissa jumped. She wasn't expecting to be interrupted. Bellatrix had lifted her head and was staring out over the icy water. She spoke in a harsh and low voice.

"Just stop. I don't know what you're doing or why you're here." She snapped her head around to glare at Narcissa. "_You_ don't even know why you're here. Go on. Tell me what you were thinking."

Narcissa looked down in her lap, tears filling her eyes. "I don't know."

They sat in silence for a while.

"What were you hoping to find?" Bellatrix whispered eventually.

Narcissa thought carefully before responding. "I believe I had hoped I would find you, lost and lonely, and that I could save you and, ah, bring you back to life, in a way. We could be like we were as children..."

"...and you know that is never going to happen. You are foolish."

"But Bella, why not? He's gone, he's dead, and it's all over. You can start again."

"Stop it! Stop it, you stupid woman, don't you see? That's it. He's gone, and I'm gone with him. I lived and I breathed the Dark Lord. I was devoted to him." She began to choke on her words. "Everything I cherished and worked towards is _gone_. Now there is nothing. I have nothing. I _am _nothing."

"You still have me, Bella..."

The older woman ignored her and continued to speak, her words now furious and drenched in venom.

"Now you've come back here on your naive little mission, to rescue your dear sister. So you've found me. What are you going to do with me? You think the world is going to welcome Madame Lestrange back with open arms?" Bellatrix laughed maniacally. "If you take me back, I face death. If you know me, you know I welcome death, but not a humiliating death of that kind. You should have left me here to die in my own time."

"Leave you to die! You forget who you are speaking to. I could never..." and Narcissa began to cry softly again. "I know you feel that it's all over now, that there's nothing left. So many of us felt that way after the War. Things change, though, and people move on..."

"They will never forget what I have done."

Narcissa paused before asking a dangerous question. "Do you regret it? Anything?"

Bellatrix stared out over the water again, and seemed to take an eternity to respond. Her sister's heart beat faster as she awaited an answer.

"Nothing."

Narcissa couldn't help but be surprised. "Not even –"

"I did what had to be done. I served my Master well."

Bellatrix's eyes had glazed over, and she looked tired. The conversation had left her drained. She had noticed lately that she seemed a little weaker and often found herself short of breath. It was nothing, though... probably just a product of the less than nourishing life she had been living as of late.

The two sisters sat in silence for what seemed hours, but in reality was much less. Bellatrix jumped up, suddenly, and sprinted back towards the forest. Narcissa simply watched her run, knowing she wouldn't Apparate, before eventually standing up and heading after her sister.

As she drew closer to the forest, her ears picked up the sounds of terrifying shrieks coming from Bellatrix, spells being cast and plants being ripped apart – this all followed by the smell of smoke. Narcissa drew her wand from her cloak and ran into the forest, terrified.

Bellatrix was leaping around among the trees, throwing spells in every direction, tearing shrubs to pieces, and setting ancient trees on fire as she went. She was cackling madly, and it first it looked like a case of her love for destruction, but Narcissa saw that she was sobbing as she slashed her wand through the air, and suddenly her jubilant screams sounded more like cries of anguish. Every heart-wrenching noise that left her mouth was accompanied by the screams of the forest's animal inhabitants as the flames grew and engulfed their precious homes.

"Bella! Stop this!" Narcissa yelled to her sister, as she began to fight off the flames, sending jets of water wherever Bellatrix had set the trees alight. She was shocked by this sudden change in her sister. Only just before, they had been conversing civilly, and now this? She turned to face the other witch. "_Expelliarmus!" _She caught the wand as it soared through the air. Bellatrix cried out in anger, as Narcissa whispered "_Incarceous" _and ropes flew out of her wand to coil around her arms and legs. The younger sister dragged the older, screaming, out of harms way, and Narcissa returned to the area to extinguish the rest of the fire and repair what she could of the spell damage. The smells of burnt greenery and singed flesh persisted and before long Narcissa had to leave, retching. All the while, Bellatrix lay screaming until her throat was raw.

Narcissa bent down and held her sister into her breast, muffling her screams, while Bellatrix clawed at her back and pulled her hair.

"Get off me! Leave me! _Go!" _she cried, but Narcissa did not move.

"Bella, what have you done? This place is sacred!" she whispered into Bellatrix's ear.

"You've ruined everything! It's over, it's over," she sobbed, breathing faster and faster. "I was _safe_ here, only me, and I felt nothing, I thought nothing, and now I think again and I feel again and it _hurts_!" With the last word she struggled and fought against her bonds, and as Narcissa was no longer concentrating, she broke free. She leapt up into the air but collapsed again, shaking. "Surely I am to die now!"

"Calm down!" Narcissa begged her sister, rocking her slowly. "I promise everything will be okay. Let me take care of you, Bella, and you will be okay and it won't hurt anymore." She stroked the sobbing woman's hair. "I will never let anything hurt you."

"I can't... they will find me, and I will die."

"No one is concerned with the Malfoys anymore, Bella. We live alone and we are rarely seen. The Manor has no visitors. You could be with us and no one will ever suspect a thing."

"...You'll bring me home, Cissy?"

"I'll bring you home."

Neither sister spoke a word for a while, simply sat holding each other while the stench of death and destruction surrounding them slowly dissipated and Bellatrix's breathing returned to normal.

"You said you kept my room, yesterday..."

"Of course I have."

Bellatrix sighed and stood up carefully, with the help of Narcissa. The blonde witch held her sister upright and together they slowly walked towards the water where Narcissa had left her belongings.

"So you really will come?" Narcissa had tried to make her words sound like a command, but could not help them forming into a question due to her uncertainty. She had always found it difficult to be forceful around her domineering sister.

Bellatrix closed her eyes. Broken from the screaming, her voice cracked as she spoke.

"I will come."

* * *

><p><strong>This was written quickly and I didn't have much time to edit, so it's a bit rough. I will be going away for the next week so I wanted to get another chapter out. Let me know what you think! I hope you like it, read and review :) x<strong>


	6. Malfoy Manor

**CHAPTER SIX: Malfoy Manor**

There was a sharp crack as two dark figures Apparated outside of Malfoy Manor, disturbing the stillness and calamity of the starry night. The gate creaked open and the two women slipped through and rushed towards the doors to the mansion. Bellatrix and Narcissa huddled close together and ever nervous breath they drew left fog trailing behind them. Narcissa glanced around nervously as they ran.

Once inside the Manor Narcissa removed her cloak although it wasn't a good deal warmer inside the stately home. She ushered her sister silently up the stairs.

"Cissy, what if _he _is awake..."

"Then he would be in his study, and he won't hear us."

The pair crept slowly up the stairs, and on the second highest step they froze as a door creaked only metres away. Bellatrix leapt backwards and threw herself into the shadows, hiding behind a small column by the stairs. She didn't dare to breathe. Narcissa drew herself up and stepped forward to face her husband.

"Narcissa. It's good to see you home..." Lucius spoke softly, gazing at his wife with a glimmer of suspicion in his cold grey eyes, "...but at such an unusual hour?"

"I'm sorry if I woke you, I did try to be quiet."

"In fact, I had only been reading, but I could have sworn I heard voices..."

"- I merely stubbed my toe and muttered to myself," Narcissa cut in, just a little too quickly.

"...and why would Mrs Parkinson send you home at this time of night?"

"Lucius, I would appreciate it if we could talk in the morning. I really am quite worn out."

She turned away and walked towards her room, watching Lucius return to his out of the corner of her eye. She shut her door and sat herself down on the bed, biting her lip. Her body was still shaking from the encounter, but she wasn't sure why she was so scared that Lucius would find Bellatrix. Maybe she was afraid of how he might react. Lucius had never been terribly fond of her sister, and was one of the few people who would ever stand up to her. He could be so angry with Narcissa, and he might throw Bellatrix out of the house or turn her in...

Narcissa stood up and walked over to her dresser to take out a clean nightgown. She undressed herself, leaving the pile of her travelling clothes carelessly on the floor, and got into the nightgown. Crawling under the covers, she continued fretting over what she had done. Maybe it wasn't as safe as she had thought, bringing Bellatrix home. Lucius was generally an understanding man, but this might be pushing it too far. And what if somebody at the Ministry got suspicious and searched the Manor without their knowledge? Her thoughts were interrupted by an almost inaudible knocking on the door, followed by a meek Bellatrix slipping into the room and standing in the shadows.

"My room," she whispered. "I don't remember which of them is my room."

Narcissa shook her head. "It is a few doors down the hall, Bella, but Lucius is already suspicious and I don't want to risk more walking around." She took a deep breath. "Would you stay in my room tonight instead?"

Bellatrix didn't reply, and Narcissa took this as a sign of assent. She pulled the covers back next to her and patted the bed. Bellatrix shuffled out of her boots and her cloak, looking at the bed apprehensively. It had been years since she had slept in a real bed, and the thought of it made her nervous. The atmosphere of the Manor simply didn't feel right to her, and she was sure Lucius would come crashing through the door at any minute and attack her. Bellatrix had always been a far more accomplished duellist, but she was years out of practise and truly feared for her safety.

Narcissa noticed the fear in her sister's dark eyes, and spoke to reassure her although she was just as fearful herself.

"It's alright, Bella. I promised you that I would keep you safe. Nothing will harm you here."

"When are you going to tell him, Cissy?" Bellatrix whispered, as she went to sit herself on the edge of the bed. She didn't look at her sister curled up under the blankets. It felt too intimate, even compared to their night among the rocks in the forest. Sharing a real bed in the comfort of a real house was just... different.

"I'll tell him when it is crucial that he must know," Narcissa sighed. "He... he will have to accept it. He has no choice. You are family."

"Cissy, we know better than anyone that people can be removed from a family."

Both sisters remained silent as they thought of Andromeda, Narcissa with a twinge of guilt as she remembered their correspondence. She couldn't tell Bella about that yet, the older woman would most likely be disgusted with her. Andromeda could never know about Bellatrix, either, because that would put an end to their newly rekindled relationship and could see Bellatrix killed or in Azkaban once more, along with Narcissa. Andromeda would have good reason to turn both of them in to the Ministry.

Bellatrix finally crawled under the covers and sank into the comfortable mattress. It eased the stiffness in her back from years of sleeping on hard, uneven surfaces. She closed her eyes and drifted off into a dreamless sleep.

Narcissa lay awake, watching her sister. Again, she looked so peaceful and almost pleasant as she slept, although her face looked gaunt as it did when she escaped from Azkaban and her skin was paler than it used to be. Narcissa moved a stray curl from her sister's face, before snuggling up next to her. She fell asleep with her face next to Bellatrix's, blonde hair and black tangling together across the pillow.

* * *

><p>It was a relief to wake up this time with the warmth of Bellatrix's body still pressed up against her. Narcissa stood slowly and shrugged into a dressing gown as Bellatrix began to stir. She brought Bellatrix's cloak over to the bed and sat beside her.<p>

"Good morning, Bella..."

Bellatrix sniffed in response, and rolled over to snuggle into her pillow. Narcissa smiled.

"I have to shower, and then make breakfast. I'll show you to your room, and then I can bring you some food up later..?"

"Fine."

Bellatrix pulled herself upright and swung her legs out of the bed. She stood up, but was doubled over by a sudden and violent fit of coughing. Alarmed, Narcissa pulled her sister down to sit on the bed and get her breath back.

"Bella, are you okay? Do you need any medicines? I'm sure we have some cough potions brewed and – "

"Cissy!" Bellatrix wheezed. "I'm fine. Just take me to my room." She cleared her throat and stood up again, steadying herself against her sister. Narcissa sighed, and quietly lead Bellatrix to her room.

It was a large room, quite bare of furniture except for a large four-poster bed with black silk bedding and curtains. The chest of drawers in the corner, although it had been unused for five years, was clear of dust. There were no photos or ornaments in the room. Bellatrix found some dim memories surfaced of the times that she stayed in the Manor, but nothing was very clear.

Shaking her head, she moved to lie down on the bed. She wouldn't admit this to Narcissa, but in truth she had been feeling quite unwell since the day before. Her limbs were chilled and shaky, and her coughing before had brought some blood into her mouth. All she felt like doing was sleeping in these comfortable beds.

"Well, I'll come and see you soon, Bella," Narcissa whispered, watching her tired sister with some concern. When she received no response, she turned and left the room, heading for the shower. Hopefully the hot water and privacy could clear her head before she had to face Lucius once more.

* * *

><p><strong>Sorry for the <em>very<em> short chapter, but I thought I should put something up because it's been a while and I'm very busy. I'll update soon! Please review :)**


	7. The Conversation

**CHAPTER 7: The Conversation**

The streams of light leaking through the curtains became stronger and stronger, rousing Bellatrix from her slumber. She sat up, disoriented. She could hear muffled voices every so often and the occasional clinking of china coming from downstairs. Something compelled her to get up from the bed, although she was still exhausted and her muscles ached. She walked gingerly around the room, pausing at the window to stare into the glass. A gaunt-looking woman stared back at her. The woman's eyes were dark yet seemed to be glowing, and her skin was deathly pale, framed by a mass of unruly black girls. Bellatrix shook her head and stepped away from the window. Of course, she hadn't seen her reflection clearly for years now, but it was still quite a shock. She looked clean and almost pleasant, if only she didn't appear so... _worn._

Curious as to what was taking place downstairs, she open the door slowly and made her way along the hall, almost tip-toeing. When she reached the staircase, she peered down into the entrance hall first. Finding it empty, she patted her pocket to check for her wand before beginning her descent. The voices were becoming clearer. It appeared that Lucius was sitting at the table in the dining room, and Narcissa was finalising her breakfast preparations between the kitchen and the dining room. The scents drifting from the kitchen were overwhelmingly pleasant, and Bellatrix was so caught up in smelling them that she failed to notice her sister leave the kitchen carrying a tray loaded with breakfast.

Narcissa stopped in her tracks and threw the woman standing in the shadows a surprisingly venomous glare. Of course, she couldn't scold her with Lucius sitting merely metres away. Shaking her head and now feeling more nervous than she had previously, she joined her husband in the dining room, leaving Bellatrix to sulk behind the door. Bellatrix had no intention of leaving, however. As much as she disliked Lucius, something compelled her to stay and overhear the conversation. Whether it was the lack of human interaction for half a decade, or the fear that Lucius would force the truth out of Narcissa, she wasn't quite sure.

x

Narcissa gently slid the tray onto the table and allowed Lucius to help himself to servings of scrambled eggs, sausages, tomatoes, mushrooms and slices thick buttery toast. For herself, she took only one slice of toast and a spoonful of egg, as for some reason she wasn't very hungry anymore. Lucius glanced between the plate and his wife's face questioningly, and his silvery eyes seemed to burn into hers. Narcissa looked down at her plate and pressed her fork into the toast.

"I would have imagined your appetite would be larger," Lucius mused, "considering your journey in the middle of the night."

"I thought so too. Perhaps I have come down with something overnight," she ventured quietly.

"Well, that would be a shame," he spoke, through a mouthful of eggs and mushrooms. He swallowed quickly, and continued. "It's interesting, you see..."

"Hm? How so?"

"...Interesting, because I happened to come across Mr Parkinson in Diagon Alley only yesterday."

Narcissa stomach seemed to drop out of her body.

"That's... that's nice, dear," she smiled, although it felt more like a grimace.

"Nice indeed," Lucius replied, his expression turning into that curious smirk of his. "Although I was rather confused by something he told me."

Narcissa forced down a mouthful of toast before responding. "And what was that?" she asked, feigning innocence.

"Well, I merely enquired of you, as I believed you to be staying with the pair of them," he said, as if he was carefully picking each individual word. "However, he seemed very confused, and replied that he was quite sure the Parkinson family were entertaining no guests at present."

"I'm not one to make a fuss, you know, perhaps he never noticed my presence..." Narcissa reasoned, but Lucius continued on.

"Oh no, but then his wife joined him, and was _equally_ confused. It seemed they knew nothing of the whole matter!" Lucius chuckled darkly before his eyes narrowed into a glare. "It was rather embarrassing, you know, finding out from another couple that I had been lied to by my wife."

Narcissa stabbed her fork violently into the toast, her eyes swimming with tears.

"I'm sorry to have been such an embarrassment, Lucius," she whispered, not knowing what else to say. Surely she had been found out, but she wasn't sure what would be the least dangerous thing to say, so she kept silent. It was safer to let Lucius do the talking. Suddenly she became aware that Bellatrix would still be listening from outside the room, and desperately hoped that she would keep away. The last thing she wanted was anyone to get hurt, and between her sister and her husband, someone was bound to.

Lucius' smirk returned to his face.

"This does leave us in a curious position, does it not?" he chuckled. "You disappear suddenly and claim you're visiting a friend. That friend confirms there was never any visit." His tone became more serious. "Then you return home in the dead of the night, exhausted and nervous, and postponing our conversation until... now. So far, it has been remarkably one sided. I think it is your turn to contribute."

Narcissa stared down at her lap and remained silent.

"It seems you need a little prompting. How about... why, I'm still quite certain I heard more noises and voices than necessary when you came home last night." He paused as if he was thinking hard. "I am also unsure as to why you returned at such an hour. Surely if you were staying with someone, you could have left in the morning?"

Narcissa opened her mouth to speak, but could not think of a response.

"And then I was sure I heard your door open twice rather than once last night." Again he paused, but this time he seemed to be examining Narcissa, looking for any betraying signs in her face.

"There's also your new correspondence with the trai... with Andromeda to consider-"

"Andromeda has NOTHING to do with this!" Narcissa cried. "Leave her out of it!" She was slightly shocked by her own outburst, but she couldn't help it. Bellatrix now knew about her contact with Andromeda – Bellatrix who claimed she didn't regret killing that woman's own daughter – it seemed she was doomed on both sides now. Lucius looked at her even more curiously, and his eyes were much darker. No one spoke for a while.

x

Bellatrix stopped breathing for a moment, as a surge of mixed emotions rose up in her like she was going to be sick. She leant a hand against the wall to support herself, stunned.

_Andromeda? _Narcissa had come looking for Bellatrix after she had reached out to... her. That traitor, that filthy traitor, who ran away with a Muggle boy, leaving a burnt hole in the Black family tapestry and a jagged wound in a young Bellatrix's heart, one that she covered up like it was a crack in the wall but she knew would never heal, how could it ever heal...

She shook her head, trying to clear such ridiculous thoughts. If she'd manage to suppress anything related to _her _for all these years, even when she faced her daughter in battle, what would be different now?

But she felt so _betrayed – _she trusted Narcissa, she always had, and this just was just wrong. There was no way she could justify getting back in contact with Andromeda, not after everything that had happened, and _not _when she's trying to bring Bellatrix back into her life –

Bellatrix kicked herself. She should have seen this coming. It was obvious now. Narcissa wanted them reunited, the three Black sisters... Bellatrix felt an odd pang of longing, mixed with anger at her youngest sister's naivety. They could never return to how they were as children. It was simply impossible and foolish to even entertain the thought.

Voices came from the room again, and Bellatrix composed herself to listen. She would have to confront Narcissa later.

x

"Clearly there is something stressing or upsetting you, Narcissa. Perhaps it would do you good to tell me."

"No, I'm fine, everything's fine!" she pleaded. "Things have just been... different for me lately. I just needed some time to myself..."

"Your explanation leaves much to be desired."

"There's nothing more to say..."

Narcissa leapt backwards in her seat as Lucius slammed his fist down on the table, making all the silverware in the room tremble.

"I will _not_ tolerate this from you any longer." It was clear his light hearted attitude was gone. "You have deceived me and embarrassed me, yet you continue to look me in the eye and lie to me. I am your husband, Narcissa, and..." he swallowed almost nervously yet spoke in a threatening tone, "and you will tell me what the _hell_ is going on here because I'm sure as hell not listening to another word of this... of your _bullshit-"_

His words were cut off when the sharp tip of a wand pressed hard into his throat and a hand twisted itself through his hair roughly, preventing his head from moving an inch. He rolled his eyes back to try and see his attacker, but could see no further than the high ceiling arching above them. He looked desperately across the table to his wife, his heart beating ferociously in his chest, but she was gazing terrified at whoever it was standing above him.

"Don't..." Narcissa breathed. "Bella, please..."

Bellatrix leant down close to Lucius' ear, letting her curls fall into his face, and suddenly he knew exactly who he was at the mercy of.

"_Never _speak to my sister like that again_._"

* * *

><p><em>Andromeda sighed as she wiped the crumbs from her sandwich off her pretty blue dress. This particular Black family picnic was far more stiff and awkward than usual. She looked up and met her older sister's eyes, seeing the mutual understanding in them. Like always, Bella was brave enough to make the first move.<em>

"_I'm going for a walk," she announced, standing up abruptly and staring expectantly at her sisters. Cissy's eyes lit up and she moved to stand along with Andy, but her mother clutched onto the fairer girl's arm._

"_Narcissa, you must stay with us," Druella commanded, looking to her husband who nodded._

"_Yes, little pet, we have some matters of importance to discuss," Cygnus confirmed. He always spoke of his youngest daughter with affectionate little nicknames. Her obedient and pleasant nature made her a natural favourite, although her headstrong eldest sister was always intriguing to him._

_Cissy sat down, resigned, and nodded. "Of course, father."_

_Bella shrugged and lead her other sister away into the trees._

"_Bella, what do you think they're going to talk about?" Andy asked._

"_Isn't it obvious?" Bella snapped. "They're discussing her _marriage_."_

"_I... I just thought... I mean, she's only twelve, Bella!" she stammered. "They haven't even arranged a definite match for me yet, and I'm fourteen."_

"_Yes, well it seems the Malfoys are eager for their little prince Lucius to get his hands all over our baby sister," Bella scoffed, crossing her arms tightly. _

"_He's a bit of a prat," Andromeda giggled._

_Bella couldn't help but laugh too. "Of course he is. We've always known that."_

"_Cissy doesn't think so."_

"_I'm not surprised. She's easy to charm." Bella sighed. "She'll be the only one of us content with marriage then. As much as I despise the Malfoy boy, if he makes her happy..."_

_The two sisters were silent then, as they walked arm in arm through the forest._

"_Is there... was there ever someone else, Bella?" Andromeda asked timidly after some time._

"_What do you mean?"_

"_I mean other than Rodolphus. Obviously," she added, as Bella sniffed disapprovingly. "I just wonder, sometimes, about what it's like for the others who don't have this decided for them."_

"_Andy, there's no chance. This is how it has to be. Our blood is pure and noble and it must be shared with those of equal status." She carried herself with pride and spoke determinedly but unhappily. "For once, our parents know best."_

"_Rodolphus is such a prat too, though!" Andy cried._

"_I know, I know, but at least he's half decent looking..." Bella argued, although she sounded uncertain. The two sisters had now reached the silvery expanse of the lake, and they sat down on the rocks together._

"_I don't want you to marry him," Andy said. "You're too good for him, Bella."_

"_I don't want to marry him either. I don't want to get married, ever, to anyone," Bella whispered, looking over her shoulder. "Alas, I must. It is the way things are."_

_Andy looked sadly up to her sister. "Well, I can hope they pick Rabastan for me, and then we would see each other often."_

_Bella smiled at her sister. "That would be nice." Finally she had found one good thing about her marriage to Rodolphus that would take place after her final school year had finished. It would be lovely to have regular contact with one of her sisters, and she couldn't help but feel a little bit guilty when she hoped it would be Andromeda. She had always been more upstanding and independent than their youngest sister, and Bella loved her all the more for it. They were similar in so many more ways than their looks, although Andromeda had a calmer temper and knew how to calm Bellatrix down better than anyone else._

"_You never answered my question before," ventured Andy, interrupting her sister's thoughts._

"_No. There was never anyone else." Bella looked at Andy and smiled. "I don't have the time, having to look out for you two – fend off all those dirty teenage boys after my pretty little sisters..."_

_Andromeda laughed happily and leaned against her sister. "Thank you. It means a lot to us, Bella," she gushed sarcastically, sending both sisters into another fit of giggles. _

_The pair of them stayed seated by the lake until dusk, when Cissy came to fetch them and all three girls returned to their parents huddled together, whispering nervously about their futures._

* * *

><p><strong>I am sorry this took so long but I made up for it with a longer chapter... possibly the longest yet. I hope you like it, please review!<strong>


	8. Explanations

**CHAPTER 8: Explanations**

"Narcissa, would you please placate your sister?" Lucius spoke coolly, although his wife could see the fear in his eyes and his hands were shaking. Lucius had always been a little afraid of Bellatrix, so being at the witch's mercy after she had most likely become more unhinged and he had shouted at her little sister was not a situation Lucius was very comfortable with.

"You snivelling, pathetic waste of space," Bellatrix cooed, "crawling back to your dear little wife for her to save you."

"Bella, this isn't necessary, really!" cried Narcissa. She was truly afraid her sister would hurt Lucius and although he hadn't been very pleasant to her, he in no way deserved this.

"No, Cissy, you're letting him get to you again!" Bellatrix shouted, now looking up at her sister. "I heard how he spoke to you. The bastard needs to learn a lesson, don't you think?" she snarled, and focused her attention on Lucius once more. She had wanted to do this for a very long time, but as she opened her mouth and began to utter the Cruciatus curse, a movement she saw out of the corner of her eye made her hesitate.

Narcissa's hand trembled as she held her wand pointed at her sister. "Bella, don't you dare," she whispered, glaring coldly at the woman before her.

Bellatrix laughed. "You want to fight me?" she asked incredulously.

"Of course not, Bella, don't be ridiculous," Narcissa whispered. "I would never want to fight you, but I will be forced to if you fail to step away from my husband." Bellatrix continued to smile mockingly at Narcissa, so she swallowed and continued. "Or I'll... Bella, I'm not having you come into my home and endanger my family in this way, so I'll... I'll turn you in!"

The smile disappeared from Bellatrix's face and she turned deathly pale. "You wouldn't," she whispered.

"For Lucius and Draco, you know I would," Narcissa threatened. "They're my family." Lucius, almost forgotten in this exchange, couldn't help but smile a little at his wife's words.

"Cissy, I'm your family!" Bellatrix cried. "We're sisters!"

"And sometimes, I see no resemblance between us at all," whispered Narcissa.

Bellatrix had to fight back a sudden surge of emotion. She squeezed her eyes shut and wrenched herself away from Lucius, moving backwards to lean against the wall.

Narcissa breathed a sigh of relief. "Thank you, Bella."

Bellatrix ignored her sister and kept her eyes shut. She had begun to feel very light-headed and she was afraid that if she opened her eyes the room would be spinning. Slowly she slid her back down the wall until she was seated on the cold marble floor.

"Bella, are you okay?" asked Narcissa, concern colouring her voice. This was not the first time Bellatrix had shown unusual signs of weakness over the past few days. She took a step towards her sister but was stopped when Lucius grabbed hold of her arm.

"No. I don't give a damn if your psychotic sister's unwell after she just tried to kill me." Lucius's face was contorted with cold fury. "I want you to tell me what the hell she's doing here in the first place."

Narcissa sighed. This moment had come so much earlier than she had anticipated. If it wasn't for her husband's suspicious nature and her sister's unpredictability, she might have had days to prepare herself to tell the truth. With a twinge of guilt, she conjured ropes to twist around Bellatrix's wrists and ankles. Surprisingly the other witch did not protest, leading Narcissa to fear she had fallen unconscious, but she knew better than to check on her while Lucius was waiting. She sat down in a chair and looked her husband in the eye.

"Lucius, I'm sorry," she said softly.

"Thank you," he replied.

"Really, I am so sorry." She tried her best to hold Lucius's penetrating gaze. "I'm sorry for what just happened, and for the danger I'm bringing to our family because of what I am about to tell you."

"I think I am already well aware of the danger we are in, Narcissa," replied Lucius, glancing warily over his shoulder to the bound witch on the floor behind him. "Your sister has never been a sign of good fortune in the past." He gestured at his wife, intending for her to continue.

"Well, you know I have been rather lonely since Draco left home," she said. Lucius nodded, and looked slightly guilty.

"I understand the blame there could fall upon me in part," he sighed. "I have not been the most... attentive husband."

"No, you certainly have not been," responded Narcissa coldly. "I made every effort to keep our relationship active and you simply ignored me. Naturally, I became lonely and thought often of my sisters and how close we all once were."

"So you began to write to Andromeda."

"So I did. I realised that after the war, it would be wrong not to attempt to make amends with my own sister. I had missed her very much for a long time," she added quietly.

"That is exactly why I don't understand all of this," Lucius said. He gestured back towards Bellatrix who was lying still and quiet on the floor. "If your aim was to rebuild and extend your family, to make amends for the atrocities committed against families like Andromeda's, why would you bring _her_ back? She's the one who caused all this damage."

"Lucius, look at her!" cried Narcissa. "She was wasting away out there alone, and I know she's changing, she must be!" She paused to wipe the beginnings of some tears from her eyes. "Besides, she's my sister, and I love her. I have to protect her."

"Protect _her_!" he scoffed. "What about us? I know you understand the danger you've put us in. How can you risk ruining the trust we have finally regained from the wizarding community?"

Narcissa was becoming even more flustered. "Lucius, I understand why you're so angry, I really do! Nobody ever has to know, though, and we will be safe! I swear, I will do anything to ensure that."

"You have greatly abused the trust I had in you, Narcissa. You should have discussed this with me first. In fact, I should have seen it coming, what with the letters to Andromeda..."

"The reason I never told you, Lucius," Narcissa muttered, "is because you would have said no. You have always been far too concerned with the Ministry and the community, and you forget about family and doing what's right."

"And what world are you living in, where rescuing a murderous criminal, therefore endangering the freedom of your family, is the right thing to do?" asked Lucius softly, his steely grey eyes piercing Narcissa. She looked down and bit her lip, as she had no response.

"I'm her sister, and she loves me," came a whisper from behind them. Narcissa stood bolt upright and hurried over to Bellatrix.

"That's why it's right, Lucius," Bellatrix spat, although her voice cracked a little. Narcissa wasn't sure whether it was from emotion or a dry throat, but she hoped it was the former as she embraced her sister and removed the ropes that bound her. The thin body felt cold in her arms, but her forehead was hot. Narcissa held her closer so that their hearts were beating together through their robes.

"I'm sorry," Bellatrix whispered into Narcissa's ear, "but I can't stand up." Narcissa could hear the worry and sadness in her sister's voice and it shocked her. This was not how her Bella was supposed to be.

"There's nothing to be sorry about, love," breathed Narcissa as she stroked her sister's flushed cheek.

Lucius cleared his throat and addressed Bellatrix. "You can stay. I won't throw you out. But I want this to be absolutely clear - it is in no way out of compassion towards you." His eyes were filled with contempt. "I'm offering you our family's protection solely for my wife. You will not abuse our hospitality." Bellatrix glared at Lucius with venom but made no other reply to him.

"Cissy, help me up," she demanded, but her voice was weak. Narcissa stood up carefully, supporting Bellatrix's weight as she struggled to balance.

Narcissa looked to Lucius. "I am taking Bellatrix up to her room. Clearly she is unwell, and I will care for her. I will see to it that she does not bother you, so long as you do not bother her. It will feel as if nothing has changed. You needn't worry at all." When Lucius nodded his assent, she gave him a relieved, genuine smile. These smiles were very rare and never failed to make Lucius's heart flutter, although he would never admit that. He watched the two women slowly leave the room, and wondered just how long ago it was that his wife became a stranger to him.

x

The two women made their way carefully up the dark marble staircase.

"Well," Narcissa sighed. "That was... interesting?"

"We need to talk," Bellatrix said sharply, remembering Narcissa's reveal about their middle sister.

"Yes." Narcissa closed her eyes and inhaled deeply. "Yes, we do."

It was going to be a long day.

* * *

><p><strong>Sorry this took so long. I wrote it a week ago and saved it on my phone in the right format, but it wouldn't let me upload. Considering I wrote it on my phone in a car when I was tired... well, I'm not sure if it's any good, but let me know what you think! Should be more Andromeda next chapter :) Please review!<strong>


	9. Acceptance

**Chapter 9: Acceptance**

Bellatrix was silent as her sister led her into the bedroom. She sat herself down on the bed and wrapped one of the blankets around her body.

"You wait here," Narcissa commanded, "and I'll go and fetch you a cool washcloth." Narcissa remembered the warmth of her sister's head compared to the chill of her body. She was beginning to feel rather worried about Bellatrix's health. After all, she had brought her sister home because she believed the rough life was causing her to become mentally and physically unstable. It unsettled her that the situation had only seemed to worsen now that Bellatrix was home.

She studied her reflection in the bathroom mirror as she ran the tap cold to soak the cloth. Her eyes were dark and the small lines in her face looked more pronounced than normal. The last few days had been very stressful, and she realised she had sentenced herself to a stressful life by harbouring a fugitive – although it pained her to think of it like that. _I'm taking care of my sister, _she thought, _like she always took care of me. _She sighed as she made her way back to the bedroom where Bellatrix sat waiting expectantly.

Narcissa pushed her sister to lie down on the bed so that she could place the cloth over her forehead.

"You should rest now," she said softly.

Bellatrix shook her head and gripped Narcissa's arm tightly. Her sharp nails dug into the younger witch's pale skin.

"No! Don't think you can weasel your way out of this, Cissy!" she cried. "You cannot allow me to overhear such a thing and presume I will just... accept it!"

"I know you won't, Bella. Everything is an argument with you."

"And with good reason," she muttered. "Coming to find me is one matter. I may be in hiding, but at least I'm still your sister. Unlike _her," _she choked out.

"Bella! You know that Andromeda has always been our sister!" Narcissa was furious. It had been difficult enough for her to overcome the guilt that had been silently gnawing at her for years. She knew it would be even harder to convince her eldest sister that it had been the right thing to do. "Besides, you know better than anyone. Black blood is more than just... blood. There's a special bond that links us all."

"But don't you remember, Cissy? The night the Mudblood teacher was killed, here in this house... remember His words?" Bellatrix's eyes seemed to light up ever so slightly as she recalled the words of the Dark Lord, but her tone was dry and apathetic. "_Many of our oldest family trees become a little diseased over time..."_

"Stop it, Bella," replied Narcissa sharply. "I won't have you speaking of those times in my house. Our family has worked hard enough to assure the wizarding community that we have moved on since the War. I didn't bring you home to tarnish that."

"Regardless," Bellatrix breathed, "you know she was a traitor."

Narcissa hung her head. "I believed that for a very long time. Maybe I still believe it today, but I have forgiven her. I feel that we treated her so harshly for something as pure as love..."

Bellatrix scoffed. "Pure! The last word I would use to describe _that _relationship."

"She must have loved him as much as any human being can possibly love another," Narcissa whispered, "because she loved him enough to leave us."

Both sisters were silent momentarily as they remembered the closeness they had all once shared. Of course, three young sisters of a similar age were bound to be close, but Narcissa was right. There had always been a special bond, one shared exclusively by the Black sisters. To be raised in the manner that those of the purest families were raised, with such strict guidance... to be assured that you are so far superior to your peers that you never truly fit in... to be respected, although it always seemed that you were feared... those sisters were bound to form a special bond that could never truly break. Their personalities complemented each other perfectly. Fierce and headstrong, passionate and brave, demure and devoted. They had always been there for each other, and managed to create a warm and open environment within such a domineering and stifling household. They themselves had believed they would continue to support each other as they grew older, but life had taken a different course.

"You mustn't believe for a moment that the three of us will ever be reunited," Bellatrix whispered, breaking the silence.

"It is not impossible – "

"It is completely impossible. Don't be so ridiculous," Bellatrix snapped.

Narcissa swallowed and her eyes swam with tears. "She seems to have forgiven me quite readily – "

"_I killed her daughter!" _Bellatrix sat bolt upright. "I murdered her daughter _in cold blood_. You are naive enough to think that our _sister - _" she spat the word, " - who we always knew valued love of all kinds above even her own blood, would be willing to forgive the person who murdered her own child!"

"Yet you still don't regret it?" Narcissa cried. "Not at all?"

"Not in the way you hope that I do," she muttered, and the look in her eyes told Narcissa that the matter was closed, at least for the time being.

"Well, I want you to know that regardless of your views on the matter, I am determined to rebuild my relationship with my _sister_," she declared. "In fact, after bringing you some food that you hardly deserve, I'll be writing her another letter." She stood up with her posture perfectly upright, wiped hastily at her eyes and marched out of the room.

x

An hour later, while Narcissa was downstairs busily composing her letter to Andromeda, the eldest and darkest Black was clutched heaving over the marble sink in the bathroom, emptying the contents of her stomach into the basin, mixed with salty tears and the precious blood she was so endlessly proud of.

* * *

><p>The sun was shining through the clouds over Diagon Alley, and the usual Saturday crowds were bustling around cheerfully. As always, young children pressed their faces up against the colourful displays in the windows, their breath fogging up the glass. Parents navigated their way through the crowds in order to buy the wares they had journeyed to purchase, but could not help being tempted sometimes and could be seen gazing into the windows with a more distant sort of longing. The War was still fresh in all of their minds and they found it more difficult than their children to carry on with the same zest for life. Andromeda Tonks was one such parent, and she clutched onto Teddy's small hand tightly as they wove their way through the people.<p>

"Granny!" he squealed, and pointed towards the chaotic exterior of Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes. "Can we, can we, can we? Please!"

Andromeda stifled a sigh as she looked inside the windows to the frenzy of young people inside. The building was crowded and put together rather haphazardly, not unlike the Weasley home. It was endearing but slightly claustrophobic, and definitely not one of Andromeda's favourite shops. However, it was a nice opportunity to say hello to George Weasley or any of his siblings who might be visiting or helping out, and she couldn't refuse the delighted look on her grandson's face.

"Alright, Teddy, but not for too long! And keep holding my hand at all times," she warned, as they squeezed their way through the entrance, almost knocking over a stand of trick wands. As soon as they were in the midst of the shop, Teddy pulled free from his grandmother's grasp and raced off into the crowds.

"Teddy! Come back here now!" Andromeda cried hopelessly, and made to chase after him before she was stopped by a tall redheaded man.

"Not to worry, Mrs Tonks!" he beamed. "This sort of thing happens all the time, I'm sure you can imagine. We have a system in place!" He kept a reassuring hand on her shoulder as he gestured around the shop. Andromeda was relieved to see a large team of staff positioned at every corner and patrolling around the room. Each employee was dressed in a bright orange uniform and was fitted with a very strange metal contraption over their ear.

"Muggle technology," he admitted, foreseeing her question. "Dad's suggestion, actually. We can communicate with each other through them! So we pass on a description of the customer and they are located almost instantly." He patted the device on his remaining ear and gave her another reassuring smile. "Just ask any of us when you want to find him. In the meantime, you may be interested in our newest range of novelty housework and cleaning items!"

Andromeda laughed as George whisked her over to the shelf containing the products, before he was called away by a buzz from the earpiece with an apologetic smile. She browsed the various comical appliances absentmindedly, only pausing when a pink wastebasket burped out a crumpled lolly wrapper at her. She jumped backwards in surprise and felt herself collide with somebody behind her. Quickly, she turned to apologise, and found herself face-to-face with a tall, sharply dressed young man with icy grey Malfoy eyes and attractive Black facial features. There was no mistaking her nephew, although she had never met him once in his whole life. He stared at her in shock, his jaw hanging slightly open.

"Draco?" she gasped without thinking. He flinched slightly and his eyes seemed to bore into her.

"And you... you must be, ah... Mrs Tonks, isn't it?" he stammered, although they both knew that he was perfectly aware of who Andromeda was. The family resemblance was far too striking to be missed. Andromeda was fairer and more pleasant looking than Bellatrix, but they looked so alike they could have been twins. Narcissa may have been blonde with sharper features but still was unmistakably a Black sister.

Andromeda held out a trembling hand and smiled at him nervously. He took her hand and shook it once, gazing at her with curiosity rather than returning the smile.

"You're so grown up," she laughed weakly. Draco nodded and avoided her eyes, looking slightly ashamed. He looked as if he might say something, before a pretty brunette woman rushed up to him. Draco's face brightened up at the sight.

"Draco, I bought one!" she giggled, holding out a creature that resembled a purple ball of fluff and was buzzing softly. "Isn't it silly?" She paused as she noticed Andromeda still standing in front of Draco and was startled at first, before composing her facial features into a pleasant smile. The older witch knew it was her resemblance to Bellatrix that shocked people, as it was a reaction she received almost daily.

"Mrs Tonks, this is my fiancée Astoria." He smiled for the first time in their encounter. Andromeda held her hand out once more.

"It's a pleasure to meet you," Astoria grinned, as she shook the older witch's hand. "So, you must be..."

"She's my aunt," Draco interrupted, and his cheeks flushed. Andromeda looked up at him, surprised, and a warm feeling flooded through her chest. She smiled at him gratefully. There was no better feeling at the moment than to have her estranged nephew accept her into his life so readily, even if it was to simply avoid an awkward public conversation. The corners of his lips tugged upwards into a small smile in return.

Astoria could sense there was something unusual between her fiancée and his aunt. "I think I'm going to go look at these fireworks over here," she muttered, and wandered off after giving Draco a quick peck on the cheek. The remaining pair stood uncomfortably for a moment before Andromeda spoke.

"I don't know if your mother has told you, but the two of us recently began exchanging letters." It was apparent from the surprise on her nephew's face that Narcissa had not yet spoken of it. "I can't help but wonder exactly what prompted her to begin the correspondence, and I fear that she may have been rather lonely."

Draco nodded sadly. "The Malfoys... well, we don't exactly have a lot of friends these days. My father also seems rather withdrawn, and ever since I left home she would have been spending a lot of time on her own."

"We may have been out of contact for a very long time, but I still care about my sister. Forgive me for offering you advice so soon, but I think you would do well to pay a visit to Narcissa."

"I will make sure to do so," he assured her. "And, Mrs Tonks..."

"Please, you may call me Andromeda."

"Well, Andromeda... it has been nice to meet you," he revealed, again blushing slightly. He bowed his head to her politely as he backed away to pursue his fiancée.

Once located, Astoria whispered in his ear, "I thought she married a muggle-born?" and he shrugged his shoulders.

"She may have been a blood traitor... but she's family, I guess."

Andromeda chuckled to herself as she made her way towards an employee. That was probably the most she could hope for when meeting her nephew for the first time. It seemed as if she might have some blood family left after all.

"Excuse me, I'm looking for my grandson?"

The assistant smiled eagerly. "A description, ma'am?"

"He's very small, bounces a lot, and he's wearing a blue woollen jumper and grey trousers," she recalled. "When I last saw him, he had shaggy black hair and bright blue eyes, but that's prone to changing!" She laughed at the confused look on the assistant's face, but after a quick message was broadcast, Teddy was brought to her by a different assistant in only a minute. His little hands were clutching a bundle of products to his chest and he looked up at her eagerly.

"Please, Granny?"

"Of course, love."

She held him close as they once more worked their way through the crowd.

* * *

><p>"Oh, by the way, Astoria," Draco declared as the couple strolled through the now quieting town, "I'd like to visit my mother for lunch tomorrow."<p>

"You'll have to send her an owl tonight, then."

"What, can't your new little pet do anything useful?" he teased, and the sound of her laughter echoed through the street. The sun began to set on yet another peaceful day in the wizarding world.

* * *

><p><strong>Longest chapter yet. Hope you enjoyed! Review to receive internet hugs and cupcakes and other nice things. Thank you :)<strong>


	10. Discovery

**Chapter 10: Discovery**

Lucius watched with mild amusement as his wife flitted around between rooms, nervously adjusting the dining set and fussing over the lunch she had been preparing all morning. Any less-than-cheery thoughts Narcissa had about her son announcing his visit at such late notice were smothered by the happiness she felt. It had been so long since she had seen Draco and his fiancée. Of course, it was natural for them to want to spend time alone, but she still felt a little neglected. Lucius coped fine without a child in the house, but Narcissa's life had been devoted to being a wife and mother, yet these days she was barely fulfilling one of those roles.

Her thoughts wandered to her sister in the room upstairs. Bellatrix had been told to remain in her room all day and not make the slightest sound. Narcissa knew that the warning was unnecessary as getting out of bed was the last thing on Bellatrix's mind. She hadn't touched her breakfast and struggled to sit upright. Being the stubborn witch she was, she claimed it was only a temporary ailment and refused any more help from Narcissa. The worry had been eating away at the younger woman incessantly but she tried to push it from her mind for the day. It would be incredibly dangerous for Draco to suspect anything odd.

Narcissa had hurried back into the dining room to perform one last check of the plates and silverware, when there was a sharp knock on the heavy front doors. She almost dropped the plate she had picked up and her breath caught in her throat. It was wrong to be so nervous, but her head had been so full of concerns lately that the slightest change in routine sent her emotions into overdrive. She fussed over her hair and smoothed her dress while her husband greeted the pair at the door.

"...and I'm sure Narcissa is around... ah, the dining room," Lucius drawled, leading his son and future daughter-in-law into the room.

Narcissa smiled graciously but her hands still shook slightly as she greeted the guests.

"Mother, it's a pleasure to see you." Draco beamed as he pecked his mother on the cheek. Narcissa was surprised by the effect Astoria seemed to have on her son, as he was much happier and more affectionate now. "Astoria, too, was so looking forward to seeing you both."

"Is that so?" Narcissa asked coolly but with a slight smile. She was determined to stay as collected and guarded as she was in the past. It would be far too suspicious for Narcissa Malfoy to suddenly become sentimental and flamboyant.

"Oh, yes!" cried Astoria. "I just think it's _so_ important to keep up the contact between families! Actually..." she trailed off, looking at Draco expectantly, who coughed and reddened slightly.

"Something you need to say, Draco?" Lucius smirked as he drew out a chair to sit on.

"Ah, yes. I wasn't expecting to bring it up so early." He glared at his fiancée. "Mother, we came across my - ah, Andromeda yesterday."

Narcissa's breath caught in her throat. _Stay neutral_, she thought. Draco continued.

"She told us you had been in correspondence with her lately, and urged us to come and visit you. I was rather surprised."

Lucius chuckled at his wife's obvious discomfort as she visibly struggled to formulate a reply. "Draco, Astoria, do take a seat. Narcissa can bring us the first course. I'm sure we'll have a good deal to discuss while we eat."

Narcissa gave her husband a grateful look as she disappeared into the kitchen, wringing her hands.

"So it's true then, Father?" asked Draco. "Andromeda was right. She _must _have been lonely."

"Apparently so. Lonely enough to send an owl to the blood traitor," he sighed. "The Malfoy name is barely holding onto its last shreds of respectability."

"I think it's a good idea," Astoria announced. "She may be a blood traitor, but she is widowed, childless and lonely now. I don't believe it would cause any harm to give her back one family member. Things do change, Mr Malfoy."

"The woman is _friends_," he scoffed, "with the _Weasleys_."

"As a matter of fact," Draco interrupted, "we met her in the Weasley joke shop."

"Joke shop! That is precisely my point."

"It's a lovely store," insisted Astoria.

Lucius looked affronted to have been challenged twice by Draco's fiancée. _The nerve of young people today, _he mused, but was saved from responding by Narcissa entering with silver trays floating beside her.

"Oh, that smells delightful!" the younger woman exclaimed.

"Thank you." Narcissa smiled as she lowered the trays onto the table with a flick of her wand. She took her seat next to her husband and opposite Astoria. The four of them began to politely serve themselves and no one spoke for a few moments.

Astoria swallowed her first mouthful before starting off the conversation. "Mrs Malfoy, please excuse my forwardness, but I simply _adore_ your dress. That fabric looks _divine. _I must ask where you purchased it! Lately it's been _such_ a struggle to find quality clothes, and I've been searching through so many boutiques, everything is so _generic_ these days..."

Narcissa stifled a smile as she listened to Astoria's excited speech. _Maybe, _she thought, _this will be much easier than I expected._

* * *

><p>The family sat in comfortable silence once they had all finished their meal. Draco stretched and sighed contentedly in his seat.<p>

"If you'll excuse me, I'd like to use the bathroom," he said, and rose to leave the room. Narcissa fidgeted in her seat. She could hear him walking towards the stairs. On today of all days, could he not have chosen to use the downstairs bathrooms? They were much closer after all. Was his childhood bathroom really so important to him? There couldn't be too many warm memories associated with it. She was interrupted from her thoughts by a cough from her husband and reluctantly joined the conversation. She crossed her fingers under the table and desperately hoped that her sister was asleep.

x

Bellatrix was sitting up in her bed, slumped against the headboard and in a foul mood. She hadn't slept all night and was becoming increasingly weak as she struggled to keep any food down. The situation, in her mind, was still not dire enough to ask for help from her sister but nevertheless, she was secretly worried. Bellatrix Black did not lie in bed and waste away, hiding from the world. Her active mind was willing her to get up and run away, to escape the Manor and leave a path of destruction wherever she chose to go.

A surge of determination compelled her to reach out and grab the plate of bread and jam from the tray at her bedside. She tore into a slice viciously and managed to swallow the lump of food before her arm began to shake uncontrollably. Her breaths came faster as she tried to steady it but the plate slipped out of her sweaty grasp and went crashing loudly to the floor with an awful, shattering bang.

x

Out in the hallway, Draco froze. He was absolutely certain that the noise he had just heard came from breaking crockery, and was equally certain that it had come from a room on the landing rather than the dining room downstairs. _It can't be_, he thought. _There's no one else upstairs, not even a house elf!_ He stared suspiciously at the door immediately next to him. There was only silence now, but something had to have caused the sound. What was more suspicious was this particular room. Only one person had ever occupied this room, and that was his rather terrifying and now missing aunt, Bellatrix Lestrange. He shuddered at the thought. The witch had never caused any direct harm to him, she wouldn't have dared. That didn't stop him fearing her.

He shook his head to clear his thoughts. Memories of her may linger here, but she hadn't set foot in the room for years now and never would again. Draco placed his hand on the doorknob and opened the door cautiously.

The room was very dark, and he blinked as he struggled to see. Heavy curtains were drawn over the window but there was a dim source of light by the other wall that was slowly becoming brighter as his eyes adjusted. He could make out a bed, and then a tray next to it... the light reflected on white shards of a broken plate scattered on the floor. _It must have slipped off the tray, _he decided, stooping to collect the pieces. As he stood once more, he noticed the swell in the blankets on the bed. The swell moved ever-so-slightly up and down as he stared at it, leaning closer. His heart rate increased rapidly as he took hold of the blankets, and then he pulled them down swiftly.

Draco leapt backwards as though he had been shocked, and let out a strangled cry, as his dear old Auntie Bella stared back at him with a mixture of terror and rage in her deep, dark eyes.

* * *

><p><strong>Ugh, sorry this is short, but at least I actually updated! I've had this chapter sitting around for a while waiting to be finished, but I don't know if it's any good. Only a few chapters more for this story but I'm struggling a little to find the motivation. You know what helps? Your lovely reviews! Keep reviewing and I might just finish this before I disappear off to Europe and the UK for a few months. xo<strong>


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